All I Want For Christmas
by Sakura Mitsukai
Summary: The snow swirled all around her...and she was lost. It was only a matter of time... (one-shot)


**All I Want For Christmas**

Note: This is a one-shot story. And for future reference, Ryou is the real Bakura and Bakura is the yami (if that makes sense) Enjoy ^_^ And Merry Christmas to all!

She shivered in the coolness of the white night, the snow blowing all around her, clouding her in wisps of white. Ignoring her icy fingers and numb toes, she continued onward, her ankles sinking underneath the surface of the frosty snow beneath her. She wasn't sure how long she had been gone, or if anyone noticed her missing, but she knew she was growing colder, and her chattering teeth were annoying her. Yet, she would rather be in the cold, below freezing night, than in _that room._

* * *

_"How do we tell her?" Tea's mother asked quietly, her voice hushed so if Tea were awake, she would not hear the conversation taking place._

_"We can't beat around the bush with it anymore," her father answered, tiredly._

_"It's almost Christmas, can't it wait? Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of year and—"_

_"Don't you think I know?" her father asked, his voice raised. He rubbed his temples tiredly and agitatedly. "All I know is I can't stay much longer. I love Tea and I want her happy, but this isn't working anymore."_

_"Christmas is in two weeks, can't we just wait until then?"_

_"I can't take this anymore! We're telling Tea tonight, that's all there is to it."_

_"But—"_

_"I'm leaving tonight, after we tell Tea. One hour," he growled, rising from his chair and heading to pack his clothing._

_Tears were biting at her cheeks. It was true, her father really was leaving them…leaving her. Without thinking, Tea fled from the room she had been listening from, only taking enough time to grab her coat, and ran out into the cold, wintry night._

* * *

The snow crunched quietly beneath his feet as he stealthily walked along the beaten park path. Although, at the moment, it was covered in white, and he was unsure if he was still on it, but kept onward. As the snow landed atop his head, it easily blended with the white of his hair. He pulled the coat tighter around him and cursed the cold night.

"How does anyone survive this cold abyss?" he muttered, trudging further into the park. "And I have to walk home in this all because my weak hikari wanted to visit the Pharaoh's reincarnation. Darn them all," he continued muttering, glaring at the pureness of the night.

"Darn the Pharaoh, and all his friends. That mutt Joey, the pointy head, dice boy, Yugi," he seethed. "And that girl…" his voice trailed off. _That girl is another story._

* * *

Tea continued running, no sense of direction befalling her. The tears falling down her face were slowly freezing on her eyelashes and cheeks; she paid no attention to them. She was too lost in her sorrow and pain to notice her surroundings, until she fell. She slipped upon an ice patch and fell face first into the deep snow, her body convulsing into deep fits of shivering.

It was quite possible she was suffering from hypothermia by now as she was not adequately prepared to be induced to this kind of arctic. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and stumbled to a nearby tree, leaning her back upon it, her body shaking with each shallow breath she drew in. She pulled her arms about her legs and slowly moved her head to look up into the night. Snow was falling heavily now, adding to the snow that had already settled. Had she not been freezing, she would have seen the beauty in the snowfall. She placed her head on her frozen arms and sighed, knowing the cold would eventually take over her body.

* * *

He wasn't sure why he was heading in this strange direction, but he felt it was as if some force was drawing him to his right, away from home. Growling in utter frustration, he trudged on, his eyes narrowing at the beauty around him. "This is a waste of my time!" he yelled out to the night, abruptly turning around. As he turned his body, he caught a glimpse of a creature out of the corner of his eye.

Was that a human frame he saw, sitting there in the snow, nearly covered by it? Muttering to himself, he walked over to the form and glowered down at it, wondering when it would notice his presence. _And yet another waste of my time._ "You," he growled, slightly shaking the form with his foot. He jumped back with the snow fell from the girl and her brown hair peeked out from the snow bonnet atop her head. "Tea?" he mumbled, watching her body shake and receiving no response. "It's a bit cold for a mortal such as yourself to be out in this freezing weather. And dressed the way you are," he pointed out, still receiving no answer. "You'll catch your death," he growled, turning away from her.

"B-B-Ba-k-k-ura," Tea stuttered quietly, "h-h-help m-me."

Bakura turned around and noticed for the first time what Tea looked like. Her lips were a slight blue, her eyes tightly shut, her body covered in snow. Her cheeks were bright red, her fingers tinged blue, and her teeth were the only part of her body responding to the cold.

Cursing the Pharaoh and his friends once again, he picked up the young girl, and in a very un-Bakura like fashion, cradled her close to his chest for extra warmth. _And now where do I take her? He growled to himself in frustration and headed out of the park, his legs moving faster out of a slight worry for the young girl he held close to him._

After walking, or rather, jogging for what seemed like years, and Bakura had convinced himself that he was only helping Tea because he didn't want his hikari to be angry with him yet again, he noticed a sign that was the answer to his problem. Right before him was the Domino City hospital. "They'll know what to do with you…foolish mortal," he grumbled, sauntering into the building, the snow following him in.

"Oh my goodness!" a nurse cried out, rushing up to the white haired teen. "What happened?"

Bakura ignored her question and in his best Ryou impression, spoke. "My friend was lost in the woods and I just found her. Can anything be done for her?"

"Doctor!" the nurse yelled out.

Tea was taken from his arms and placed on a stretcher and rushed down a hall. Bakura stood there in a semi-stunned silence, cold finally beginning to set into his veins.

"You look a little cold there. Follow me. I'll hook you up with some warm clothes and I'll have one of the nurses dry yours for you," an elder nurse, obviously a superior, commanded, walking down the same hall Tea was just taken through.

Bakura's mind suddenly snapped back into orbit and he flashed his eyes up at the nurse, his feet willingly following her. "Will my friend be ok?" he asked solemnly, his Ryou impression still intact.

"It's hard to say now. She looked to be suffering from hypothermia, among other things; and if you don't warm up, hypothermia could settle in you. Here, there's a clean robe over there. Just place your wet clothes in the bag on the table and place it outside the door. You look like you could rest. I'll have a nurse come by in a few minutes to dry your clothes. And I'll make sure the doctor notifies you of your friend's position."

Nodding numbly, Bakura entered the warm room and proceeded to close the door, only to be stopped by the elder woman.

"Does she have parents?"

"I—" Bakura faltered, not knowing much about Tea. "I've only known her a few days," he lied. "But her friend Yugi Motou would know." He cringed when he said the young boy's name.

"Ah, Motou. Thank you," she replied, closing the door and leaving Bakura in silence.

* * *

Bakura stretched his limbs and yawned, blinking his eyes a few times before truly open them. "What the—" he yelled out, noticing a brighter light shining into the room than when he fell asleep. He growled when realization hit him that he had slept the entire night through. And he didn't even know if Tea had made it. "Not that I care," he mumbled, ignoring a slight pang in his darkened heart. His ears perked up to the sound of voices outside his room.

"I want to see the boy who found my baby girl!" a woman cried out, obviously crying. He wasn't sure if they were happy or sad tears.

"We need to thank him," a deep voice concluded, completely emotionless.

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Gardner, but the young lad is sleeping. If you could please just wait in the lobby."

"Ah, the doctor. Hm, when he lures them away, I'll find out Tea's condition," Bakura smirked to himself, listening to the silence of the hall and peeking out the door. "Good." He stealthily walked out of the room and grabbed a clipboard from the wall, searching for Tea's name. "Gardner, ICU 13."

He walked further down the hall and through a set of double push doors with "ICU" painted over them. He scrolled through the doors until he came to the one he was searching for. Peering over his shoulder and through the window on the door, he found Tea alone and smirked. He pushed it open slowly and pulled a chair beside the frozen image of the young, once vibrant teen.

"Well Gardner, it was pretty stupid of you to go out into the cold, wearing what you were," he commented. No response.

"Although I can't blame you. You are a friend of that baka Pharaoh." Again, no response. _Odd, say one thing bad about her friends, and she gives you a speech._ "Tea?" he asked a bit quietly, his eyes finally taking in the machines around him. One of them continued beeping with a steady, yet slow rate. "Whatever this machine is, it's a wonder how it does not drive you mad."

"You do realize only family is allowed in here and visiting hours have not begun," a voice from earlier spoke dully.

"Ah, the doctor. I'm not aware of your rules, but I would not follow them if I was," Bakura retorted.

Ignoring his comment, the doctor moved further in the room. "Because you saved her life, I will allow you to stay in here. But, under any circumstance, do not touch any of the machines."

"How is she?" Bakura asked softly, his eyes drooping slightly.

"She's not brain dead, but she's in a deep sleep if you will, a coma. It's possible she will awaken, but it's possible she will not. Her body is still regaining normal temperature, but she's not improved much. If you had not found her when you did, she wouldn't be breathing," the doctor replied, his voice even and monotone.

"So I suppose anything I say to her, she won't hear?" Bakura questioned further, a slight hint of a smirk playing on his face.

"On the contrary. It's very good to talk to people in comas. It stirs their brain activity. If you'll excuse me. Please be calm with Miss Gardner, atop her coma, she suffers from hypothermia and shock." With those orders, the doctor left the room quietly.

"Looks like it's just you and me Gardner," Bakura muttered, nonchalantly picking up one of her hands, only to place it back down when the feel of ice invaded his nerves.

* * *

Two days passed by and still, Tea had not responded to any activity around her. Her friends had all come and gone, bringing with them flowers and cards she couldn't enjoy until her awakening. Her parents had both gone home to get a much needed sleep, yet Bakura remained at the hospital. In a way, he felt tied to Tea, like he owed her something. Maybe it was the fact that it was just chance that he found her, and he felt he should have been there earlier. Or perhaps it was that he had saved her life and just wanted to see her wake up again.

Hard as it was, he had admitted to himself that he missed getting under her skin. He missed her friendship speeches. But most of all, he missed those sapphire eyes, smiling at the world, as if they hadn't a care. He missed her. Tea.

* * *

The doctors were giving up hope on the young girl. Five days and she was still asleep. Her vital signs were nearly normal. Her body temperature was fine, but her brain was still sleeping. And it was on this day that Bakura confessed the truth to the sleeping girl.

"I know this is foolish of me, an ancient spirit who has received his own body, to feel the way I do, but it's as if I can't help it. I really am not sure when it happened. Maybe it was the first time I met you, or maybe it was when I turned you into a card. Whenever it was, I don't care. The thing is Tea, I just want you to wake up," he growled, clasping her hand in his, his chocolate eyes shimmering slightly. "Just wake up! That's the only thing I ask. You asked me what I wanted for this strange holiday you celebrate. Now you know. Tea, all I want for Christmas is you to wake up, that's all I want…" he sighed, and laid his head down upon the side of her bed, his hand still holding hers. He was unaware of her eyelids twitching.

* * *

"Bakura?" Tea whispered softly to herself, her eyes slowly opening. As they adjusted to the brightness of the white hospital room, she couldn't help but smile down at the sleeping form of the ancient spirit. But the moment didn't last long.

With her heart monitor at a complete normal, the constant beeping was annoying the boy and he turned his head to yell at it. "How the heck Tea can sleep so long with your consistent beeping is beyond my comprehension. And if it weren't for her safety, I'd tear you apart piece by piece until you were just a pile of rubble," he growled, glaring at the machine, it beeping in response.

"How long have you been here?" Tea asked softly, a small smile playing on her face.

"Since I brought you here five days ago," Bakura muttered, laying his head back down, only to pop it back up. "Tea!" he yelled out, his dark eyes lighting up slightly, giving away his inner emotions. "You try that again, foolish mortal, and I won't help you next time," he growled, hiding his true emotions beneath his cold exterior. Inside, he was smiling, thankful for her awakening.

* * *

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Tea called out cheerfully, walking into the Turtle Game Shop where her friends were celebrating the season.

"Tea!" Yugi called out and ran to give his friend a tight hug. "We were all so worried about you."

"I'm fine now," Tea smiled, her eyes finding Bakura in a dark corner of the room, watching the scene quietly.

"I'm glad you're alright Tea. I don't know who would keep us all in line if you left us," Yami stated, causing chuckles to emit from around the room.

"Yami's right though," Joey responded, winking at Tea.

"Perhaps," Tea answered, her eyes traveling back to Bakura.

"Yugi, I think the turkey is finished, but I can't tell. Come help me!" an elderly voice yelled from the kitchen.

"Um, yes Grandpa!" Yugi called out, rushing to help his grandfather.

* * *

"Dinner was wonderful Mr. Motou," Tea commented, once the meal had been completed. The other heads around the table nodded in agreement.

"Thank you my dear. Now, who wants to help me clean up?" he grinned. "Joey."

"What?" Joey asked, looking around the table and wondering where everyone had gone. "What's for dessert?"

"You'll get dessert after you help me clean the table."

"Alright!" Joey yelled out, his mind filling with thoughts of food yet again.

* * *

The dinner was finished, the dessert was over, and the presents were all open, leaving the beautiful decorated pine lonely.

"This was a wonderful Christmas. Now if you children will excuse me, an older man such as myself needs his rest. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Mr. Motou," the teens called out, returning to their hot cocoa and conversation.

"So where'd you hang the mistletoe this year Yuge?" Joey asked, smirking as he looked over at Mai.

"I don't think you need mistletoe Joey," Yugi smirked as he recalled where he'd placed the mistletoe. _Right over the back door…_

"Tea," Ryou whispered to her, looking out the back door. "Bakura said he wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, where is he?" she asked, looking around the room and noticing the white haired tomb robber missing.

"On the back porch."

"Thanks Ryou. I'll be back guys," Tea smiled, grabbing her mittens and coat and walking out onto the back porch, oblivious to the grins her friends had on their faces.

"Hey," she whispered, closing the door behind her.

"Why did you do it?" Bakura growled, turning to face her.

"Do…what?" she asked dumbfounded.

"Nearly kill yourself."

"I—" Tea faltered, biting her lip. It all seemed to stupid now. "I thought my parents were divorcing and…I was angry, so I just ran into the snow. I wasn't trying to kill myself Bakura. I was just…too upset to think about the consequences."

Bakura turned around and faced her, leaning his body against the porch railing. "You _thought they were getting a divorce? And what _really_ happened?"_

Tea sighed and walked up to him, leaning her small frame against the same railing. "My parents moved to America. My father had this wonderful job opportunity and was going to lose it if he didn't leave soon. But the way my father said it…it sounded like he was leaving."

Bakura was silent, his eyes glancing every so often at the young girl beside him. He waited for her to continue.

"They left a few days ago. I told them I couldn't leave…"

"Why? Because of the baka Pharaoh and your little friends?" he growled.

Tea just glared at him and nodded her head. "And other reasons."

"Like what? Tell me mortal!"

"You're a mortal too you know. You're no longer held to the millennium ring Bakura," she whispered softly, heading back to the door, but stopped when she felt a strong hand upon her shoulder.

"Here," he grumbled, thrusting a small box into her hands and turning away from her.

"Bakura—"

"Just open it," he snarled.

Tea slowly opened the box and pulled out the piece of tissue paper inside. Underneath it was a beautiful necklace with the shape of a heart intertwined with a deep silver and bright gold. "It's beautiful," she breathed, noticing a piece of notebook paper at the bottom of the tiny box. She pulled it out and read.

_Ryou__ helped me write this for you:_

_The snow was swirling all around,  
You dare not make a sound.  
You were silent and still,  
As the night gave you a chill.  
But I still found you,  
In your frozen state.  
And I learned something  
I wished to berate.  
I was bothered by your condition,  
Your deathly transition.  
I wouldn't let go,  
Although it's strange, I know.  
I'm a cold-hearted spirit,  
Tomb robber and fiend.  
I planned my destiny,  
But apparently, fate's intervened._

_Strange as I feel,  
This is true.  
Tea Gardner,  
I believe I'm falling for you._

Tea gasped as she felt an arm encircling her waist. "If you'll only have me," Bakura whispered hoarsely. "I have nothing to give you," he began, his voice raspy.

"Bakura," Tea whispered, turning around to face him. "I…"

"Now's our chance Yugi," Ryou whispered, opening the porch door.

"Yugi!" Tea exclaimed, jumping away from Bakura, ignoring his growl at the interruption.

_Darn hikari and his little friend._

"We have something to tell you two," Ryou smirked, pointing above Tea and Bakura's heads.

"You two are standing under the mistletoe," Yugi finished, his face resembling Yami's as Ryou's did Bakura.

"What?" Bakura asked, unaware of the holiday tradition.

"I told you about mistletoe," Ryou smiled. "Two people caught under it have to share in a Christmas kiss."

"What? No! I refuse!" Bakura yelled, slightly outraged and flushed, but was quickly cut off by two soft lips pressing against his.

"Tea," he whispered softly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into another kiss.

"Merry Christmas Bakura," Tea whispered in-between kisses, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. _You got your wish Bakura…and then some. She smiled brightly, pulling away from Bakura's kisses, leaving him with a questioning look. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything…I didn't know what you'd want."_

"Tea," he smirked, pulling her closer to him and looking deep into those vibrant sapphire eyes. "All I wanted for Christmas…was you."


End file.
